I Prefer Vader
by lauramariadavis
Summary: Obi-Wan Kenobi is one of the best Generals that the Republic has and an amazing master to his padawan, Ahsoka Tano. Anakin Skywalker is a newly-discovered Sith apprentice who is far too cocky and undisciplined to control his power. The two men are about to realise that everything is not as black and white as the Republic and Seperatists would have them think.


'Now that everyone is here we shall begin.'

General Kenobi's voice carries throughout the command tower of Dauntless. Conversations amidst the 501sts captains and commanders cease as they turn to him, standing to attention around the table in the room's centre. Eyes flicker to the door that has just slid shut, where a padawan of seventeen rests her hand against the durasteel wall as she fights to regain her breath. After a brief moment of impatient silence she glances up, noticing that all eyes are on her. Her expression becomes sheepish as she meets Obi-Wan's eyes.

'Sorry, Master. My alarm didn't go off.'

'Apology accepted,' he says, rolling his eyes, 'please join us, Ahsoka. I want you to accompany Commander Cody, and to do so you will need to pay close attention to the mission's briefing – no disobeying orders.'

'Yes, Master,' she grumbles, coming to stand on his right side.

'Alright,' he taps the table and a flickering, holographic image of an unfamilar landscape emits from the centre. 'We have been assigned to help the Togruta of the planet Shili-' he politely ignores Ahsoka's gasp '-they are a peaceful people, which is something that has not escaped the Seperatists notice. Our sources have informed us that they plan to trade the Togruta to a well-established group of slavers and use the planet as a military base. Our mission is to stop them.'

'Now, we don't know much about what is going on down there. All we know for certain is that they are gathering the Togruta together at the village's centre, the square is surrounded with droids and a number of other surprises that we are going to have to take out. There is word that a new Sith apprentice has been taken on, and if this is true then I am assuming he is in charge of this operation.'

'But what about the rule of three?' Ahsoka interrupts, 'surely it is made up-'

'We cannot rule anything out yet, Ahsoka. Remember that this is war, and the Sith have been known to dispose of one another whenever they see fit. It would be easy enough to train someone and get rid of them once they have served their purpose.'

Ahsoka winces but nods. She is pleased to have a master as skilful and wise as Obi-Wan, but his lack of compassion can cut close to the bone at times. His ability to understand the Sith way of thinking has been immensely useful to the Republic, but it is also something that she finds intimidating. She is more than certain of his loyalties to the Jedi – as a member of the council there are no concerns about him leaving the order to join the Sith – she just doesn't understand what could have happened to her master to turn him into such a calculative, unemotional being. Every human she has met that acts like him has been through something to make them that way, but she has never had the courage to ask about it. As kind as he is they do not have that kind of relationship.

'… Ahsoka and Cody will be dealing with the droids on the outer edges of the formation, whilst Rex will lead a group of you into the centre of the battle. It will be your jobs to watch out for him as he releases whatever Togruta have already been captured. I am going to inspect this new Sith apprentice.'

'Alone?' Ahsoka asks doubtfully. She has only ever battled Asajj Ventress, and at times it has taken the both of them together to fight her off. Obi-Wan places a hand on his padawan's shoulder and offers her a comforting smile.

'Do not worry for me. I'll have you know I sliced a Sith Lord in half around your age.' He grins, eyes sparkling with humour.

'Yeah, yeah, it isn't like we've heard you say it a hundred times,' she quips, but he can still feel her reservations.

'If I may, General?' Rex steps forward, 'there are some good men amongst my battalion. You can take some of my best with you, as added protection.'

'I suppose it is better to be safe than sorry,' he shrugs. He feels Ahsoka relax through their training bond and knows that this is a wise choice – it astounds him that, despite being the master, she has so much to teach him from her compassion alone… Sometimes he wonders if Master Mace was right about him being alone for too long.

Well, he took on a padawan as the council asked. So far he has only been proved right, but you would be damned to Sith hell if you got him to admit that.

As soon as they exit hyperspace Obi-Wan knows that the intel was correct. He had been hovering around the controls as the clones piloted them to their destination, but now he has to take a seat to steady himself as the familiar feeling of the dark side presses down on him. He wraps his arms around himself, closes his eyes and focuses his attention on the light side he worships, willing it to help him fight this darkness.

'General,' Fives' voice comes to him through his comlink, 'something is wrong with Commander Tano.'

'General?' Rex murmurs, his voice uncertain as he lays a hand on the Jedi's shoulder. Obi-Wan opens his eyes. Everyone is watching him, their looks full of worry – whether it is for him or what is to come, he is not sure.

'It's the dark side,' he says into his com, eyes on the clones surrounding him, 'unlike how I have ever felt before. Whoever this Sith is, the force is immensely strong with them.' He releases his finger from the com and turns to Rex, and his lips turn into a cocky grin, 'I hope you've got that squad ready for me. I may just need it.'

Shili is a beautiful planet bursting with a culture promoting peace and art. It sends a pang through Ahsoka's chest as she takes it all in. This would have been her home if she was not a force sensitive – she could have been among those who have already been enslaved. Her position as a Jedi padawan has never been something she has taken for granted, but as she slices through a couple of blundering droids she finds herself thanking her lucky stars tenfold for how her life has played out.

'We've cleared the clankers from the outside. Permission to engage the next wave?' Cody asks the General through his comlink.

'Excellent. Permission granted.'

The battle rages around Obi-Wan. He just about has time to respond to the clone commander before he's having to jump out of the way of another blaster bolt. He lifts his lightsaber, bouncing the deadly stream of shots back into their enemies. He had been assigned four clones to follow him, so he quickly signals at them to fight a path through the fight.

A sense of unease has the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Something is wrong with the force – It's just so strong and cold, full of fear, anger and greed. To find this apprentice he will have to hone in on the beacon of their force signature no matter how dangerous he senses this person to be. It isn't difficult to do. Obi-Wan wonders just how high their midi-chlorian count is as they slink away from the ongoing battle.

'I can sense them,' he tells the clones.

'Are they close?'

'Yes… Quite. Getting closer,' he turns to the medic clone, 'I'm going to need a sample of this one's blood.'

'Not a problem,' he roots around in his bag for a moment then hands Obi-Wan a blood tester.

'Thank you.'

They stop in the clearing he had seen through the force. He didn't want to put them in such a vulnerable position as standing in the centre, but he has a feeling that this Sith won't show their face unless they willingly walk into this trap.

Not a minute later, the Sith proves true to Obi-Wan's predictions. They saunter out of the shadows of a nearby building, flanked by two MagnaGuards. The force is so intense that Obi-Wan feels as though it's weighing him down – and despite not having an ounce of force sensitivity he can tell the clones feel something from this being. They come to stand about two meters in front of them, dressed in an overdramatic black cloak that covers their face.

'You shouldn't have come here, General Kenobi,' calls a male's voice.

'But I've heard so much about you. I thought introductions were in order.'

The Sith laughs and draws back his hood… And Obi-Wan feels his breath catch. Why, he can be no older than twenty-five or so! He is tall and broad from what his ridiculous cloak allows him to see. Human, with tanned skin, waves of dark blonde hair cut to his shoulders and attractive features. His piercing blue eyes are on him, and full lips draw up into a cocksure smirk as he closes the distance between them, stretching out a hand.

'I suppose introductions are needed. My master has told me a lot about you, I feel quite honoured to finally see you in the flesh. My name is Anakin Skywalker. But I prefer Vader.'

'I would say it's a pleasure,' Obi-Wan humours the boy with a hand shake. The strength of the force in his touch has him fighting a shiver, 'but under these circumstances I would say it is anything but. Obi-Wan Kenobi.'

'I agree,' Anakin's eyes become feral as he pulls his lightsaber hilt from his belt; Obi-Wan does the same, and not a second later blades of red and blue are crashing against one another. He hears the familiar sound of electrostaffs flaring to life, and a battle between the MagnaGuards and his clone squad breaks out around them.

'You cannot beat me, Kenobi,' Vader hisses, eyes burning that sickening Sith-yellow. Obi-Wan avoids another deathly blow and their sabers clash as he blocks another.

'Do not speak too soon, young one. Besides, I am not here to 'beat' you.'

'Then what?' he laughs, 'for the Togruta? Oh, you disappoint me. You Jedi and your honour.'

'As opposed to you Sith and your sickness? Anger, hate, fear – nothing you can say will justify your acts.'

Vader growls. Although evidently well-trained, his excitement to be in the throes of battle combined with his jumble of emotions surrounding Obi-Wan are weakening his focus. The General blocks another of his attacks with ease and uses the high position of their fight to draw his knee up and bury it into his opponent's stomach. Vader gasps as the air knocks from his lungs, and Obi-Wan uses it as an opportunity to force-throw him into the wall of the building he had come from.

Darth Vader lays on the ground, coughing and cursing as he glowers up at Kenobi. Obi-Wan has his own saber back in his belt and now carries the Sith's as he stalks back toward him. He jumps up, eyeing the unlit hilt warily as he draws up his fists. When he's close enough he throws a punch, which Kenobi brings the hilt down on. Vader curses, insides burning with humiliation as he admires the cuts now adorning his knuckles.

'What do you want?' Vader spits. Obi-Wan says nothing, but suddenly Vader is pinned against the wall by the force, and against his better judgement a rush of excitement flows through him. Kenobi merely pulls something from his pocket and pokes it into his arm. A blood tester.

'Train harder, young one. You were not ready for battle today,' Kenobi says. The softness in his voice has Vader bearing his teeth. He has always hated patronising individuals. But he cannot dwell on it for too long, for a moment later Obi-Wan is knocking him out with the hilt of his own lightsaber.

'He is strong with the force. Far stronger than anyone I have encountered before, but he is unfocused and reckless, too wrapped up in narcissism to be a threat just yet.'

'Look into this new Sith, we shall. Good work today, you did. Discuss the results of his midi-chlorian tests tomorrow, we will.'

Obi-Wan offers Yoda a nod and then eyes the rest of the council. Everyone has been troubled to learn that there is another apprentice, but he is certain that there is not as much to worry about as they think. This boy's force connection is powerful, but his personality is hindering any true progress he could make. He almost chuckles, finding himself grateful that he is not the boy's master. He makes Ahsoka look well-behaved.

'What was he like, master?' She asks once they have left the council chambers. He should have really stayed with them, but he is tired and in need of a shower.

'Different,' Obi-Wan murmurs, remembering how the Sith had introduced himself, 'Dramatic and self-assured, but worryingly young. I am certain his age will work against him.'

'You said he was in his mid-twenties,' she huffs, 'I'm seventeen.'

'This boy has not been brought up the way you have. You felt it, padawan. He was out of control, too wound up in his emotions to use them to his advantage. The Sith often draw on their anger and hate as we do the light, but he exercised no control over his emotions.'

'Do you think he will learn control?' she asks.

'We can only hope he does not,' Obi-Wan sighs, 'force help us if he does…'


End file.
